


Stay Alive

by BlueRaven666



Category: Kuroshitsuji | Black Butler
Genre: Blood, Character Death, Gen, Mpreg, graphic birth
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-18
Updated: 2018-09-18
Packaged: 2019-07-13 23:37:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,170
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16028363
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlueRaven666/pseuds/BlueRaven666
Summary: AU. Sequel and final installment to "The Imp of the Phantomhive Butler". Another 125 years have passed since Sebastian Michaelis last spawned at the Phantomhive Manor, but when being in an eternal contract causes complications in the delivery, will he survive with the aid of two of Hell's most prominent demons?





	Stay Alive

**Stay Alive**

Ciel's eyes widened in horror as he took in the state of his and Sebastian's apartment. The tan-colored carpets were soiled with wide puddles of maroon liquid; some condensed into a single spot, others smeared across the floor a few feet until they had thinned out into streaks, as if something had been dragged through it. It was on the walls, and the tile floors of the bathroom. Water that had been left in the bathtub was bright with the red color of it. Ciel even found puddles of it in one of the walk-in closets.

The former earl couldn't remember the last time he had seen so much blood.

Ciel made his way into the room, carefully stepping around the puddles, which smelled as though they'd only been there a couple minutes prior to his return from school. He checked his phone to see if Sebastian had tried to notify him of anything that had happened beforehand that would explain the ghastly state of their home. There was nothing; no texts, no missed calls, not even a voicemail.

"Sebastian!" he called out, "Sebastian, are you here?"

Receiving no response, the child demon turned a corner that led into the older demon's bedroom. He was surprised to find the door ajar, with the putrid stench of demon's blood flooding out of it, accompanied by a faint smell that began to unsettle him: death. Ciel's senses could detect more than one individual inside. Two demons; neither of them were Sebastian, yet he could still pick up Sebastian's scent through the mixture of blood and death. Hushed voices whispered back and forth to each other from beyond the door, one sounding mournful, perhaps even a bit angry, and the other clearly trying to calm them down.

Ciel sprinted to the door and threw it open with little hesitation or resistance, "Seba-"

His words were split into silence as he took in the state of the bedroom. The rest of the apartment didn't hold a candle to the amount of blood that stained the bed and floor. Two much older demons peeled their lips back in a synchronized snarl of aggression; one of them in the form of a muscular man with brunet hair and burning red eyes, the other practically the spitting image of Sebastian, only with longer hair and a stockier build. Wrapped in his arms, held protectively against his chest, was Sebastian.

"Who are you?" Ciel inquired, "What's going on here?"

A warning growl thundered in the brown-haired demon's throat while the black-haired one glared at him with his teeth bared. He looked like he wanted to cry as he tore his hateful gaze away and lowered it to the demon in his arms. It wasn't until then that Ciel realized that Sebastian wasn't moving.

"You brat!" the black-haired demon hissed, caressing the lifeless butler's cheek as he gently lowered him onto his lap, "You did this! He's gone. You've killed him!"

***Three Hours Earlier***

A sigh of relief fell from Raum's lips as his spawn's body left his with one final push. Admittedly, this birth had lasted longer than most he'd endured during the curse's unyielding grip on him, alerting him to make a few changes to his lifestyle and diet, and quickly before it came time for him to give birth again. Of course, he was quite old; one of the last few demons left whose age could almost challenge that of the Prince of Hell himself, and like with all beings who grew old, he needed to pay closer attention to his health. Feed a bit more often, engage in combat a little less, perhaps even find some time to catch up on sleep; something that could take the edge off of the years of abuse he'd subjected his body to.

Noting how his newborn imp scrambled and fluttered about, even while it was still connected to him by its umbilical cord, Raum knew he had still managed a fairly healthy delivery. The earl might have felt tired and had slowed down a touch, but such were the usual side effects of childbirth. He didn't feel weak, an indication that he'd managed to consume enough souls for the imp to feed off of, keeping it from feeding off his own body's energy; something not only he strived for, but constantly reminded his surviving offspring about, as well. If he or one of his own perished over something so avoidable, it would not only be a black mark upon his name, but his heart too.

Which is why he found his mind wandering, even though his work wasn't quite done, and his newborn seemed desperate to set out on her own. There was one child of his whom he hadn't seen hide nor tail of since he departed to the human realm nearly 130 years ago.

Michaelis had always been unusual of sorts; being born healthy and strong, yet still lingering for days after his birth to be cared for and nurtured until he finally decided to scamper off one day. Raum was more than a little surprised to find him still alive nearly one thousand years later, only recognizing him by his scent and the physical traits that had been carried on to him. When Michaelis started growing picky about the souls he consumed, Raum grew concerned. Of course all demons wanted souls that were perfect; that weren't tainted or low in quality, but maintaining a diet crafted to those standards and still remaining healthy and strong was not only unrealistic, it was impossible.

The earl had hoped that it was only a phase his son would keep up for a few decades before growing bored of it and consuming a few much-needed meals; however, word through the grape vine said that wasn't the case no more than a century ago, when Michaelis had dueled the demon Claude Faustus over a supposed high quality soul. All that he knew of the situation was that Faustus had been defeated in battle, but no word had come of Michaelis ever devouring the soul, or what he was doing now. There was a rumor, though. One that Raum wasn't all too pleased to be hearing: the human the soul belonged to that his son had fought for had been turned into a demon, and Michaelis was serving as his butler.

_That_  did not paint a good scenario in Raum's head. It wasn't uncommon for demons to get carried away with the power they held over their servants, some even going so far as to deny them the freedom to form contracts; the easiest way for demons to find themselves a meal. Considering the fact that Michaelis was a dangerously picky eater, combined with the fact that his leash was being held a child demon,  _an imp_ ; he must be mad with hunger by this point, and it was getting to be around the time he and his surviving spawn spawned once more. He needed to consume a soul of some sort, especially if he hadn't eaten anything in a couple hundred years.

A particularly forceful tug from the imp tethered to him pulled Raum from his thoughts. He chuckled as he resigned himself to do what still needed to be done before he could worry about Michaelis. A snap of his teeth severed the umbilical cord, freeing the imp from from her father and allowing her to charge head first into the unforgiving realm of her kin. His brows knitted with discomfort as his body rid itself of the afterbirth, and he took the bloody organ into his mouth and ate it, restoring any strength and energy lost during the birth. It wasn't the most satisfying thing for him to eat, and he wasn't all that fond of the placenta's spongy texture, either, but it was a great way for him to kick-start his health and fill his stomach.

As he made his way to his feet, Raum became aware of the presence of another demon. The fellow fiend was standing a good ways off, likely waiting for him to give him permission to approach.

"It's all right, you're Majesty," Raum called out as he steadied himself, "I won't jump you this time."

A dark chuckle filled the air around him as a shape stepped out of the shadows and slowly approached, "You know I'd kill you if you tried, right?"

"All too well," Raum straightened himself as his eyes met those of his ruler, "To what do I owe this most unexpected of visits, O Great and Mighty One?"

The devil's lips peeled back in a smirk as he took a moment to soak in the appeasing title. He did so love the groveling; little titles and compliments that pleaded for him to spare the owner of any torturous fate that could result from his presence.

"I merely wished to bring something to your attention," he stated, "That is, if you aren't already aware of it."

"And what kind of something has put you off that involves me, m'lord?" Raum asked curiously.

"It's about your son, Michaelis."

"Ah, him. For the record, I am already aware of his current status, at least somewhat. Supposedly, he's currently a servant to the former earl of Phantomhive in a contract."

"A  _permanent_  contract. An  _eternal_  servant."

Raum looked up at the devil with an almost heartbroken look that was masked with half a smile, "So the rumors are true, then?"

"I'm afraid so. You know it isn't like me to care so much about these sort of things, but that boy does hold a place near and dear to me; why, ever since we first met six thousand years ago, or so, and I know he's one of your most precious of sons."

"That I cannot deny, m'lord, but is there something you're trying to get at? Forgive me if my assumptions are misguided, O Lawless One, but you seem troubled by Michaelis' current status."

"And you're not? You  _are_ aware just how long it's been since the boy has swallowed a soul, right? And you should be more than aware that it has come time for you and your children to spawn. I fear Michaelis may not have the strength to make it through this one."

Unease pricked at Raum's raven-like plumage. The devil himself had just admitted his worry to something that he was still trying to deny. Michaelis had proven himself to be an extraordinarily powerful demon; surviving injuries caused by grim reaper death scythes that would have otherwise proven fatal to most, disciplining himself to remain loyal to his contractor's soul instead of scavenging to sate his hunger, and never faltering in his abilities, even when the odds were stacked against him. Indeed, he was extremely precious to Raum; a son worthy of his affection and his title as earl.

And to hear that it could be ripped away from him... Well, it felt no better than delivering a stillborn imp; wasted effort, and lost potential.

"Not if I can help it," the demon earl stated.

Lifting an arm and flicking a talon, a gateway appeared, burning into the air like paper held over a candle flame.

"Where do you think you're going?" the devil asked lamely.

"Where do you think?" Raum retorted, "I'm not letting Michaelis die on my watch. I shall go and assist him."

"Are you sure you're up for it? You  _did_  just give birth, you know?"

Raum let out a scoff, "Please... I've dueled reapers and given birth at the same time. I'll be fine."

"Very well. I shall come, too. You'll both need all the help you can get."

Raum answered with a nod and the two demons stepped through the portal.

The doorway took them to the doorstep of a fairly ordinary-looking dwelling; an apartment, as the humans called it. A number was printed on dull brown plaque, scrawled in a font that made it look better suited for an office building than anything else; 205. The hallway was painted a drab shade of grey with navy blue carpets, and the poor lighting that was provided gave the building a run-down, almost ominous vibe. How low Michaelis must have brought himself to choose to live in such a place.

To avoid attracting any suspicion, Raum had taken on the form of a human with shoulder length black hair, though he couldn't bring himself to discard his noble attire; elaborate black clothing that hugged his form, heeled boots that put a strain on his ankles and arches, and a pitch black cloak with a dark blue lining. The devil had chosen a more modern appearance, taking on the form of a man with short brown hair dressed in blue jeans and a black t-shirt. A bit of stubble cast shadows along his upper lip and chin.

From the moment they had crossed over into the human realm, Raum was able to detect his son's presence. Concern began to overwhelm him as he sensed a change in his aura. Ordinarily, Michaelis had a very powerful black aura; so powerful, in fact, that it typically enveloped his entire form, easily engulfing rooms and blocking out any light that tried to slip through it. Now, his aura was all but nothing. At best, it cast a weak shadow over him. It pulsed, darkened, then faded, then darkened again. Sometimes the fluctuations would be short and steady. Other times, it flickered as erratically as a burning wick on a breezy night.

As Raum realized this, the unpleasant scenario he had conjured up in his mind only worsened. Along with his fluctuating aura, the earl could also pick up the putrid stench of demon blood. Realizing that the child demon Michaelis was enslaved to didn't seem to be anywhere in the vicinity, he knew it could only belong to his son.

He reached for the door.

"Earl!" the devil spoke up, resting a hand on Raum's shoulder, "I want you to brace yourself for whatever state your son might be in."

Raum furrowed his brows, "What do you mean by that, sire?"

"I smell it. Chances are you smell it; the blood, Michaelis' aura. As I said before, I don't think he's going to have the strength to make it through this one."

The demon earl was quiet for a moment, letting his ruler's words sink in. There was a good chance that he might have to watch his son die today. That he could be dying right now. It pained him to think so little of a demon as powerful as Michaelis; a demon whose ambition had led him to meet the pharaohs of Egypt, as well as spread the Black Death from Asia into Europe. A mighty, powerful flame snuffed out by starvation and exhaustion. It was a scenario that he loathed to imagine. Raum would have rather have his son watch the life leave his eyes enduring the same fate than have it be the other way around.

Even so...

"I have faith, m'lord," the earl stated, "Michaelis is stronger than he looks."

The devil merely shook his head, "I hope you're right, then. Otherwise, your denial will be just the start of your suffering."

Raum disregarded the comment with a snort and pushed the door open. He was surprised to find it unlocked, as he'd known these sort of dwellings to be famous for always keeping their doors locked tight. Could Michaelis have left it unlocked for his master when he returned, or was it simply a careless slip that convenienced the two demons? Either way, Raum was thankful for it, as trying to slip in through a window might prove to be more trouble than it was worth.

The first thing Raum and the devil noticed when walking into the apartment was the blood. So much blood, with puddles of it spread across the carpet like water on the street after a downpour. It stained cushions on the sofa, and there was a prominent bloody footprint tracking across the linoleum flooring in the kitchen. It was difficult for the two demons to tell where the bloodshed began, and where it'd last been spilled, but they were able to get somewhat of an idea just by listening.

Cutting through the silence of the apartment was the sound of panting. Labored and obviously pained, Raum recognized the nature of the noise immediately; the panting of a demon in labor. He followed the sound through the kitchen to a door that was tucked away in a far corner of the dwelling. If one's body was in a fragile state, it was common for a demon to find a secure place to hide. Cellars and attics were a fairly popular choice when in the middle of a contract, but, as this was just a simple apartment, the bathroom or a walk-in closet would suffice.

Cautiously, Raum pulled the door open.

The sight that greeted him was a grizzly one. Michaelis stood completely nude in the farthest corner away from the door with his legs spread and arms bracing the walls, as if they were the only thing supporting him. His head was bowed as harsh breaths were expelled from his mouth. Sweat coated his skin, which appeared to have taken on a sickly grey color. His abdomen was tight with a contraction, the muscles caving in so far his spine could have split his organs in two. He bled copiously from between his legs as he struggled to remain upright, likely in an attempt to bring the coming imp down faster.

Michaelis lifted his head as light flooded into his sanctuary, meeting his father's gaze with a spent expression. Raum almost couldn't bear to look into his eyes. The charisma and sarcasm they once held was now gone, leaving behind a pair of blank, emotionless orbs sitting in their sockets. His brow, usually arched with energy and interest, had now flattened into a straight line that loomed over his eyes. Looking past the human guise his son donned, Raum could see his skin hugging each of his bones tightly, making him look like little more than a walking corpse. If he hadn't known any better, he would have thought he'd found the wrong demon, but no. This was the one, confirming his worst fears.

Michaelis was beyond starving.

The young demon didn't even utter so much as a growl as he stared at the two elders. Cornered, weak, and alone, he was at a disadvantage; though he wouldn't be much better off if his master were home, either. Even after more than a century, the former earl still relied heavily on him, and something in him told him he knew the two demons from somewhere; not by their appearances, but by their aura's. One of them filled him with familiarity and comfort while he found the other dominant and threatening. He was unable to place names to their faces until the black-haired one spoke.

"Son."

For the first time in decades, Michaelis felt a smile creep across his lips, "Father..."

Raum immediately rushed to his son's side, pulling him into his arms, purring deep in his throat as the young demon hung from him as pains ravaged his body. He lowered him onto his knees and held him, allowing him to bury his claws into his shoulders as he did his best to ride out the contraction. Michaelis' hips swayed and rocked, indicating that the imp inside of him was sitting real low in his pelvis and was on the verge of being born. But the blood that poured from his anus, audibly dripping into the carpet, made his nerves prick with worry.

"How long have you been at this?" Raum inquired, looking down at Michaelis.

The young demon took a few ragged breaths, "One... and a half..."

"Hours?"

"... Days."

The demon earl froze. For most demons, labor lasted between three to six hours. The longer the labor, the more complications there were. Sometimes it was because the imp was too big, or in the wrong position. Sometimes it was due to the position the demon had chosen to give birth in.

In Michaelis' case, it was simply because he was too weak. This imp needed to be born now!

Raum tilted his son's head up to face him and pried his jaws open with a slender finger. He sealed his lips over his mouth and his chest heaved, regurgitating a soul that had been left untouched by the imp he had given birth to nearly a half hour ago. Michaelis accepted it eagerly, but was quick to cringe at the taste of it, or lack there of. It was dry and bitter, and had a sickeningly salty aftertaste. He fought against the overwhelming urge to vomit as the soul slipped down his throat.

"I know it leaves much to be desired," Raum said, "But you need to eat. Your life depends on it."

"I know," Michaelis responded curtly, "If my young master wasn't so stubborn, I would have consumed half of the souls in this loathsome city years ago."

"Does he not let you eat?"

The young demon shook his head, "His priorities are set elsewhere."

Raum suppressed a disapproving growl. Even as a noble from Hell, he knew the servant-master relationship wasn't wholly one-sided. The servant looked after his master, ensuring they were kept in good health and good spirits, yes, but it was a master's duty to look out for their servant's well-being, as well, noting any changes they saw in their appearance or health and urging them to remedy any problems straight away.

The fact that Michaelis' condition was this bad due to his master's negligence made the earl beyond livid.

"Come," he said calmly, "A closet is no place to be giving birth. Let's move you to the bedroom, or living room; wherever you prefer."

"Bedroom, please," Michaelis said as he struggled to his feet, "At least there we'll have a bit more privacy."

Raum carefully guided his son out of the closet with the devil following closely behind them. They had only made it halfway across the living room, before Michaelis cried out and sank to his knees, trying to reign in control of his breathing as a spasm coursed through his gut. The two other demons acted quickly, with Raum dropping himself in front of him, and the devil positioning himself behind him to check his progress. The earl's worry increased when he saw the elder demon mouth something along the lines of, "Not good..."

"Do you know what's causing him to lose all this blood?" Raum asked.

"Definitely looks like a hemorrhage. Could be that the placenta detached too early."

It was a grim diagnosis. If what the devil said was true, along with the fact that the bleeding didn't look like it was going to stop anytime soon, then it meant that Michaelis' contractions weren't strong enough to stop it, let alone aid him in the delivery. Not only that, but the imp he was carrying was probably long dead by now. If the bleeding didn't kill him first, then the corpse rotting inside of him would.

As the contraction weakly compressed his insides, Michaelis made a feeble attempt at pushing. He could feel the imp's head against it's birthing exit, but all he succeeded in doing was expelling more blood from his anus. His joints buckled, and his eyes grew heavy.

"Stay with us, boy," the devil said in a warning tone, "Just breathe, for now, until you've built up your strength."

A soft moan hummed somewhere in Michaelis' throat as his head rested against Raum's shoulder. Even his breathing was weak, leaving him in abrupt gasps that only seemed to add to the weight that was pressing against his eyelids.

"Tired..." was all he managed to mutter before his eyes slipped closed and he slumped heavily against his father.

"Michaelis?" Panic twisted through the demon earl as he desperately searched the younger demon for signs of life. The only relief he was given was the steady rise and fall of his chest.

"He passed out," the devil said plainly, watching with a sympathetic look glinting in his eyes, "Tired doesn't even begin to cover it. He's completely exhausted."

"Isn't there anything we can do, you're Majesty?" Raum asked as he held his son against him, "Pull it out of him, or something?"

"It'd be no less risky than letting it come on its own," the elder replied, "Even if we did manage to pull it out of him, it doesn't guarantee that it'd stop the bleeding, too. With him unconscious, our only option is to allow his contractions to somehow do the work for him."

Anger burned in Raum's heart, or perhaps it was simply his frustration. No matter what either of them did, it would only lead to one result. He couldn't help but hold the young demon closer to him, running a hand gently over his head.

"What master would do this to a servant?" he asked bitterly, "I fed him a soul, and it did nothing."

The devil shrugged, "That would be for the Phantomhive boy to tell you. For now, let's just focus on getting the boy situated in the bedroom."

With a nod, Raum gathered Michaelis' limp, unconscious form in his arms. It took passing the doors to the bathroom and another supply closet, but they eventually found a bedroom that appeared to belong to the young demon, furnished with only a small bed, a writing desk, and a wardrobe. The two demons pitied the crisp, white sheets covering the bed, knowing full well that they would be thoroughly stained crimson by the time this was all over.

Raum positioned Michaelis on his knees, allowing his upper body to rest against him. As he had predicted, the covers under him turned a deep shade of scarlet as blood continued to ooze out of him. The devil sat at the end of the bed, knowing there wasn't much he could do if the young demon wasn't awake. The two of them alternated between sharing worried expressions and glancing towards Michaelis, hoping to see some sort of sign that he would wake soon.

Fifteen minutes passed before Raum felt talons digging into his thighs, and his son began to writhe in his arms. It pained him that the first thing his son woke up to was the torturous grip of a contraction. He did his best to soothe the young demon, and he managed to direct his focus back to breathing. Michaelis' hips rocked steadily, trying to bring the imp closer to being born, and for a time things appeared to be going smoothly, save for the blood that was still leaving him in concerning amounts. Perhaps a soul and a bit of sleep was all he needed.

Taking a few steady breaths, Michaelis found the strength to lower his chin to his chest and push. Blood gushed from the child's birthing exit, and he though he could feel the head about to come forth with it, only to be greeted with the white-hot burn of the infamous ring of fire, making him tense and forcing the head back behind his anus. He could tell that this spawn was on the larger side, and he didn't want the complications of tearing on top of all the other issues he was dealing with right now.

However, any progress Michaelis managed to make after he'd awakened was wiped out when an overlapping contraction caused his stomach to churn. He fought the urge as much as he could between breathing and trying to push, but failed as he relieved a harsh gag, emptying the contents of his stomach onto the floor. Most of what laid there was bile, but they could all make out the soul Raum had fed him, too; a wispy, grey orb of light that pulsed for a few moments before fading away into oblivion. Michaelis only managed a few weak coughs before going limp once more.

Raum cursed under his breath as his body trembled with frustration.

"Tell me the head's out, at least, m'lord," he growled, glancing towards the elder demon.

The devil shook his head, "No, but he is crowning... barely."

Raum's eyes quickly focused back on his son. The young demon's aura had faded drastically and fluctuated so erratically that a candle burning amidst a thunderstorm fared better. He breaths were shallow and his pulse was faint, but Raum refused to give up on him as he continued to hold him in position, absent mindedly rubbing his back as he resumed stroking his hair.

"Earl..." the elder demon spoke up, "I don't think he going to-"

" _He will_!" Raum fired back as he pulled Michaelis closer to him, "He will. You'll see. He just-"

"Earl, just listen to me. You've done everything you can. Michaelis has done everything he can. He's been at this for almost  _two days_ , Raum. I've never seen a demon be in labor for two days, and live to tell the tale. Don't you get it? Unless he can get this imp out of him in one strong push, he's not going to make it; and even that's a bit of a stretch!"

Raum grit his teeth stubbornly as he focused back on Michaelis, letting him lay in his arms as he searched his features for signs of consciousness. A weak moan wheezed from within his throat as his eyes attempted to flutter open.

"Father?" he uttered in a whisper.

Raum caressed the young demon's cheek with a gentle hand as he forced a comforting smile, "I'm here."

Michaelis was gasping weakly for breath as his abdomen was crushed by another contraction, "I... I can't... I can't... do this... much longer..."

"Yes, you can," the demon earl answered quickly, "I know you can, just-"

Raum's words were cut off as his son summoned the strength to grasp one of his arms. For the first time in over a century, his eyes gained back their garnet-like shine and a genuine smile crossed his features.

"I-it's not s-so bad... dying. Now... I can finally be... free..." the light in the young demon's eyes dimmed and his features relaxed, "I can finally be free..."

The demon earl quickly snatched Michaelis' hand as it released its grip on his arm. The skin across the top had already gone cold and was as white as the portions of bedding that had been spared of his blood. He scanned the lifeless demon's features, hoping, pleading in his heart, that he was somehow still alive. But his son's chest had gone still, and his head lolled back over his arm. His eyes were still open; unseeing. His mouth hung open slightly; unmoving. Raum felt his exposed neck and chest frantically for a pulse or a heartbeat, but there was none. The black aura that had been fighting for life and stability had faded out of existence like smoke from a burnt out match stick.

"No..." the demon earl uttered in an anguished whisper as tears spilled from his eyes, "Oh, God! Please, no!"

Raum pulled Michaelis' body against his chest as he wept mournfully into the cold crook of his neck, inhaling the last traces of his scent before it too died and morphed into the stench of decay. The devil beside him looked on in dismay, words spoken to him nearly six thousand years ago plaguing his memory.

_"Great. Hours of agony and suffering just to die, and our kind will have nothing to gain from it."_

_"Not to worry. Just keep yourself well fed and strong, and you won't have to fear anything during the curse."_

For the first time in eons, guilt stabbed at his wicked heart. He couldn't help but wonder how long Michaelis had been plagued by those words, or if they plagued him in his final moments. Did he know he would die today? If so, for how long? A few minutes? A few hours? Yesterday? He wondered what it must have been like to know something like that. To most it would probably be terrifying, but when he gazed into Michaelis' eyes, even now, he saw peace; relief. Relieved that it was all over now. No more curse, no more master, no more contract, no more starving. His soul had moved on to the next stage in its life: reincarnation; a chance at a new beginning.

The devil rested a hand on Raum's shoulder, "I'm so sorry for your loss, Earl, but take some comfort in knowing this. Your son is about to be born into a new life; greater than he was before. His body may be gone, but his soul lives on. Somewhere in one of these realms, your son still lives."

Deep breaths escaped Raum in exasperated huffs. At first, the devil thought it was to quell his grief. Then he looked into his eyes and saw them burning red with rage and hatred.

"Where is he?" he hissed in a trembling voice.

"By 'he', I assume you mean the Phantomhive imp."

" _Who else_  would I be referring to?"

The devil's ears perked as he focused on their surroundings. Somewhere in the distance, he could hear the door to the apartment complex open. The light footsteps of a young teen began approaching the apartment door.

"Sounds like he's just arrived," the elder demon stated. He hardened his gaze, "Look, I know you're upset, as am I, but don't kill the imp the moment he walks into the room."

The door to the apartment opened.

"Of course, my Adversary," Raum replied, a bite of sarcasm in his words, "I want him to see this anyway, so that I may rub his nose in it!"

Footsteps ran up to the bedroom door, and the door flew open with startling force, "Seba-"

Raum didn't even bother suppressing the snarl that ripped from his throat. While the Prince of Hell might have only been conveying a warning for the boy to approach with caution, he expressed every ounce of rage and fury that was filling him. He didn't want this imp anywhere near his son. What Michaelis had seen in him, he had no idea. All he saw was the imp that had enslaved and neglected his son and condemned him to death.

"Who are you?" Ciel asked accusingly, "What's going on here?"

Even his voice was aggravating to Raum, and he was more than content with expressing it through another low growl.

"You brat!" Raum hissed. He forced himself to tear his gaze away from the former earl and glanced down at Michaelis' lifeless body. In some way, he hoped his son would just come back, so the words he uttered next wouldn't be true, "You did this! He's gone. You killed him!"

A puzzled expression crossed Ciel's features, "What are you talking about? I haven't done anything."

" _Precisely_!"

"Were you aware that your butler was  _in labor_  for nearly two days?" the devil inquired bitterly.

Ciel's face paled, unable to respond and still unable to fathom how Sebastian had been able to carry himself like nothing was amiss. Sure he'd seemed a bit... preoccupied, in a sense, but nothing that indicated that he was in any pain or at risk of losing this much blood.

Raum rested his son's head against his chest, as if he were still comforting him through the pain and weakness he'd endured, "Exhausted, starving, and you did  _nothing_!"

Ciel fixed his gaze on Sebastian's body, almost as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing, "He's not really dead... is he?"

The devil's brows narrowed, "Go see for yourself. You should be wary of Raum, though. He might just kill you if you make a wrong move."

The child demon met the earl's gaze. Raum simply stared back at him angrily, though Ciel could have sworn he was inching himself further back on the bed, holding his butler protectively in his arms. Slowly, he approached the bed, his eyes never leaving Sebastian's form until he was alongside him. He glanced up at Raum, who hesitated a moment before laying his son down on the mattress.

"Sebastian?" Ciel piped up as he gazed into his butler's lifeless eyes. Somewhere in him, he knew what the other two demons were saying was true. It was the only explanation for why he had smelled the putrid stench of death when he had walked in, but he kept denying it, "You got me, now get up. Fun's over. I can't imagine you're very comfortable lying there like that."

Raum sneered, "What inside of that thick head of yours makes you think any of this is a game? He's  _dead_! Can't you tell just by looking into his eyes? He's dead, and it's entirely your fault!"

The elder demon rested a hand on the demon earl's shoulder, silencing his rant.

"That's quite enough," he said calmly, "Yelling at the child won't change anything. Best to try to get the imp out of him now, so they can both be buried properly when we return home."

Raum resigned himself to that fact as he moved to bend and spread the deceased demon's legs.

"Um," Ciel piped up, "How did he...?"

"It was a lot if things," the devil stated, "Starvation, mostly. The imp obviously decided to feed off of Michaelis' body, rather than just dying. The hemorrhaging didn't help his case either."

"Hemorrhage?"

"The placenta detached too early, and his contractions weren't strong enough to stop the bleed-" the elder demon paused. He'd been trying to get a grip on the unborn imp's head when he felt something peculiar, "What the...? Shit! Raum, pull his legs back! Quickly!"

The earl immediately became alert, "What is it?"

"No time to explain, just..." he gave a gesture with his hand, and Raum complied, pulling Michaelis' knees up to his still chest.

Ciel skittered away from the bed as blood trickled out of Sebastian's corpse as the elder demon struggled to guide something out of him. With the situation being as it was nearly 125 years ago, the child demon could only wager a guess that it was the imp Sebastian had been trying to bear, but why was this demon getting all excited over an imp that was probably dead? Unless...

The sound of flesh tearing and more blood spilling made Ciel's stomach churn.

"The head's out," the elder demon announced breathlessly as he tried to get the imp to turn to ease the shoulders out, "Come on..."

With a forceful tug, the shoulders popped free, and the rest of the imp's body slipped out with a squelching sound. The devil stared at it for a split second before his face broken into an astounded grin.

"Well, I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't just felt it, but... Raum, you gotta take a look at this!"

The earl wasn't sure if he was ready to believe him. Surely, there was no way the imp could still be alive. Whatever cruel joke the Prince of Hell was trying to play, now wasn't really the time for...

And then he heard it. It sounded like something between a cough and a whine; the universal sound of an infant trying to take its first breath. Raum lowered Michaelis' legs back onto the bed and practically threw himself over next to the elder. His expressions broke into the same astonished expression as tears spilled from his eyes.

The devil turned to him with a smirk, "Look at me and tell me that isn't him. I dare you."

The tears poured freely from Raum's eyes as he nodded and began sobbing with joy, "It's him... It's him!"

A shrill cry broke through the excitement as the earl lifted a blood-coated imp into his arms. His eyes kept darting from the wailing infant to Sebastian's body for several seconds before he lunged over beside the corpse and nuzzled him tenderly, muttering praises in Latin. While Ciel didn't understand all of it, he was able to decipher a few phrases.

" _My all-mighty phoenix! You came back to us! My son... My son..._ "

"Uh... can someone please explain what's going on here?" the child demon inquired, "I'm confused."

"Allow me," the devil spoke up, "I don't think we're going to get a coherent response from Raum anytime soon. You see, when a demon dies, he's reincarnated; their bodies may die and rot away, but their souls are reborn into new bodies. Sometimes they become demons again, but most of the time it's an animal or a tree; less exciting things like that. What has just occurred has only happened twice since angels, demons, reapers, and humans came into existence; where one dies during childbirth and is reincarnated as their child. Under normal circumstances both parent and infant would have died, but I would know Michaelis' presence anywhere, and that imp is definitely him."

Ciel glanced back over towards the spawn cradled in Raum's arms. He had to admit, there was something comforting and familiar about it as it blinked open it's garnet eyes and took in its surroundings, "Will he remember me?"

"Likely not. If he happens to see you, he might feel a strange sense of recognition; a little bit of deja vu, if you will, but he won't have any memories of his life spent with you, or anything else that happened over the course of the past six thousand years," the devil bent down until he was eye level with Ciel before peeling his lips back in a sneer, "and I think it's better that way. After all, who would want the memory of eternal enslavement ingrained in their minds?"

With that, the devil gathered Sebastian's corpse in his arms and beckoned for Raum to follow. The demon earl paid no mind to the child demon as he crossed the room and made his way towards the front door, his eyes never once leaving the imp, lest he vanish on him like an illusion.

"Hey, wait a sec- ahh!" Ciel's words were cut off as he felt a sharp pain shoot through his abdomen.

The two demons tossed a disinterested glance over their shoulders as the child demon dropped to his knees.

"Oh, yeah. It is getting to be that time, isn't it?" the elder demon remarked, "After all, it has been 125 years since you've been turned into a demon."

Ciel's eyes widened with horror at the meaning behind the devil's words, "H-help... help me!"

The two older demons looked at each other in mock question.

"Should we help him?" the elder inquired.

"So sorry," Raum replied, "I have a child to bury, and an imp that needs tending to."

And with that the two demons were gone, leaving behind a single message that taunted Ciel as his small gut caved inward in a spasm.

"Good luck."


End file.
